Requisites Of Life

Chapter 29

Cooper

I hope we can meet again sometime. 

Those words from my das were something I reflected on during the ride home. Don't worry, I didn't have to worry about being so focused in on them that I crashed the car. I was still really jittery by the time we left the restaurant, and thought it best to let Amelia drive instead. Better safe than sorry, right? 

Did he mean that we might not be able to meet again? Or maybe that he wasn't sure yet if he wanted to meet again? Maybe he was saying that he hoped I would want to meet again. 

One small phrase can lead to a headache upon thinking about the meaning behind it--or maybe that was pressure from crying so hard. 

Either way, that didn't matter much, nor did the meaning behind what my dad said, when we pulled up onto my street. The closer we got, the more I realized that I had far more important things to be worrying about in that moment. 

My mom. 

Amelia pulled the car up into the driveway, and turned the engine off, leaving us in a breath of silence. I didn't mind it, though. Letting out a sigh, I slouched into the seat, catching glimpse of myself in the frosty side mirror. 

I looked like shit. It was more than obvious that I'd been crying, and with the time being later than I normally got home after school, there was no doubt in my mind that my mom would suspect something was up. Biting the bullet, I undid my seat belt and opened the door, exposing us both to the merciless cold wind. 

I glanced over my shoulder at my girlfriend, who still remained in her seat, buckled up and key chain in her hand. "Do you want me to come in with you?" she asked gently. 

Honestly, I really didn't feel like making her see another pathetic disaster involving her boyfriend. But I wouldn't think of sending her to walk home alone in this weather, and I wasn't going to make her wait in the car until I was able to drive and had things sorted out with my mom. That wasn't fair. 

So I swallowed the lump in my throat with whatever wetness I had left in my dry mouth, and turned back toward her. "There's no point in staying out here, now is there?" I said, managing a smile. "Besides, grandma will want to see you again. She won't stop talking about you." 

A blush crept up her already rosy cheeks. "She talks about me?" 

"Not in a bad way," I assured her. "And frankly, I don't mind so much." 

Flustered, she said nothing more, and followed me inside the house where we were met with warm air and cold looks. 

"There he is," was the first thing I heard. 

"Where have you been?" my mom demanded. She sat up from her spot on the couch, approaching me with the likely intent to give a lecture, and slowed when she saw the state I was in. Her stern look softened at the drop of a hat. "What happened?" 

I thought that I had cried out all the tears a man could store in him, but my wack emotions were quick to prove me wrong. Fog returned to my eyes, but this time, I managed to keep it at bay when I looked at her and said, "I saw him." What a concerning sight it must have been for her, both misty eyes and a shaky smile on my face. 

"What do you mean you saw him?" she said carefully, waving us over to the living room. 

Amelia and I gratefully took a seat on the couch, knowing all too well that this was going to be a long ride. 

"I saw him," I reiterated. 

"Who? Who is him?" 

I inhaled sharply. "Dad."